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What people are saying about OpenSecrets.org and the Center for Responsive Politics

One of the "most interesting and credible nonprofit, online publishers in the United States."

American University's Investigative Reporting Workshop

"The Center's work has been invaluable to me over the years in my work for The New York Times and as a producer of PBS Frontline documentaries, and now, most recently, in the research for my forthcoming book, Who Stole the American Dream?

Hedrick Smith, Author

"I've been using the site for years and I think it's absolutely great. I love it."

Ben Calhoun, This American Life

"Simply invaluable. If journalists are supposed to dig, then OpenSecrets.org is the sharpest shovel out there."

Dan Stone, Newsweek/The Daily Beast

"Their work is just indispensible."

Rick Hasen, "Election Law Blog"

"Absolutely indispensable."

Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics

"The Center for Responsive Politics is a rare thing in Washington. It does the heavy lifting of true research, not just spinning information."

"Thankfully, sites like Politifact and OpenSecrets.org are helping voters find the facts...incredibly useful and interesting."

PC World

"Exhaustive reporting on money in politics."

Columbia Journalism Review

Center for Responsive Politics Executive Director Sheila Krumholz is "the preeminent authority on the growing influence of money in U.S. politics."

Phil Quin, Business Spectator

"The Center for Responsive Politics runs a widely praised web site, OpenSecrets, that gives a good sense of what interest groups are lining up behind members of Congress and their challengers."

Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian

"The Internet age has been marked unprecedented access to mind boggling amounts of information. That access may used in service of the good, like tracking the influence of money in politics via OpenSecrets.org."

Steven Pate, Chicagoist.com

"There is a non-profit, self-supporting organization that has taken the guesswork out of who gets, who gives, and who owes who in our government today. That organization is the Center for Responsive Politics. They are not left or right, republican or democrat, liberal or conservative. They just tell it like it is."

Timothy Gatto, author

"Websites such as OpenSecrets.org publish a torrent of data showing how much American companies, industries and interest groups spend on lobbying and electioneering. The trend is relentlessly upward."

The Economist

"Find out who is making the big political contributions in Ohio and other states, as well as where the money's coming from -- by city, by zip code. This interactive site is worth your time."

Gloria Millner, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Opensecrets.org has a fabulous database online where you can track earmarks. You can have great fun there checking rhetoric against behavior."

Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press editorial page editor

"A lot of people, campaigns and the news media included, put their faith in a website called OpenSecrets.org ... The site has become the authority in the increasingly murky world of campaign finances, especially the outside, secret money."

Dan Rather, news anchor

"A good place to begin finding out who's paying for what, is OpenSecrets."

Nancy Williams, Utah State University professor emeritus

"The Center for Responsive Politics has a terrific revolving door database showing the web woven between former staffers and the lawmakers they once worked for."

Erika Bolstad, McClatchy Newspapers Washington Bureau reporter

"A trove of data."

Erin Burnett, CNN anchor

"An organization filled with honest types who I take to be very much on the level."

Michael Winship, Public Affairs Television senior writer

"[G]reat site for checking spending, earmarks, campaign contributions, bills and other activities by members of Congress...Opensecrets blog has details about the latest news in campaign giving, spending and more."

Joe Adams, Florida Times-Union

"[The Center's research] has helped reporters dig up stories about corruption and undue influence on government. There have been changes in the law -- abolition of soft money, change in ethics and gift rules -- and I think it's a result of the kind of information CRP provides."

Jim Drinkard, Associated Press accountability editor

"The Center for Responsive Politics is a calm island of information in a boiling sea of contention about the role of money in politics. The contention is about how much, if at all, political money should be regulated. Because most of the money funds advocacy -- speech -- the stakes could not be higher."

George Will, syndicated columnist

"Transparency isn't just a buzzword -- it is the greatest protection we as citizens have against those trying to game the system. And CRP, in shining a nonpartisan spotlight on the profound impact money has on our democracy, plays a vital role in allowing us to hold accountable those with their hands on the levers of power."

Arianna Huffington, founder of Huffington Post

"The Center for Responsive Politics is a national treasure whose work I can always rely upon to be accurate, complete and unbiased. It's the gold standard for factual information on campaign money."

Mark Shields, news columnist and PBS NewsHour analyst

"OpenSecrets.org is...an innovation that shows us why we are indeed 'America the Great.'"

Dylan Ratigan, MSNBC

"Delightful."

Alex Beam, Boston Globe

"I use OpenSecrets.org to cross-check and analyze information I get from other news sources. With Democrats in control of the House, Senate and the executive branch, it's even more important than ever that OpenSecrets.org can help us keep those in power accountable for their decisions to accept certain types of donations."

Kelly Ward, Virginia Beach, VA

"It's the only place I can go to check federal special interest and political action committee -- including leadership PAC -- contributions. Wish this same information was available for states like Alabama."

Mitchell MacDonald, Birmingham, AL

"OpenSecrets.org revolutionized political reporting by making public the money connections between special interests and candidates for public office. That changed everything in politics, not just the reporting of it, for the better. I think OpenSecrets.org deserves the highest approbation from all who care about honesty in government and public service."

Mark Tapscott, Washington Examiner

"If you care about the direction of this country and want to know who's really steering the wheel, OpenSecrets.org is hands down your best resource."

Scott Braddock, CBS Radio

"OpenSecrets.org won our Best of the Web Award because it is an exemplary website for students and teachers of civics."

Bradley Wood, Shmoop.com

"Opensecrets.org is a great resource for the politically savvy. I use it regularly and find that it is a great starting place for doing research."

DelawarePolitics.net

"Amazing folks...help[s] the world understand how influence in Washington works."

Lawrence Lessig, Harvard University

Count Cash & Make Change.

OpenSecrets.org is your nonpartisan guide to money's influence on U.S. elections and
public policy. Whether you're a voter, journalist, activist, student or interested citizen,
use our free site to shine light on your government.